


the earth breaks and saves your beat

by 3ffloresce



Category: The Yogscast
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, M/M, Mature just in case, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-27
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2018-02-22 20:18:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2520485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3ffloresce/pseuds/3ffloresce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the post-apocalypse, friends are hard to come by and no one knows this better than Will Strife, ex-CEO of Strife Solutions. With modern society as he knows it crumbles, it's hard to trust people. Even when they save your life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. as long as you're going down

**Author's Note:**

> So this was another prompt someone gave me. Post apocalyptic AUs are always fun so yeah this was fun. Took some ideas from Fallout and the movie "Book of Eli".

Bandits. It’s always bandits that suddenly decide to run in and do as much damage as possible. Will was cornered, he knew it. He was down to a clip of ammunition for his pistol, his rifle long since depleted of it’s ammo, and he had been shot in the leg and bleeding heavily. He was sure that it wasn’t a fatal shot but there was no way he was going to run. He pressed back against his cover, the never ending storm of bullets still bearing down on him as the bandits shouted and raided his shelter. Will bit his lip, breathing hard, trying to think fast.

The shouting increased, so did the bullets and he heard the unmistakable sound of men falling and crying out in pain. Will didn’t dare peek at what was going on for fear that whoever was taking care of the bandits was surely going to come after him too. He wedged himself tighter into his cover, hoping his hiding spot would suffice until the fight was over.

The sound of bullets died down completely. The scuffle of a fist fight was close by and Will peeked just to see who was left. Suddenly two bodies toppled over his head and onto the floor in front of him. A bandit was pinned down by the weight of a large, blond man, struggling to get a hold on him. They were both without weapons and more or less evenly matched. The tall blond looked up at Will.

“You! Come on, help me out here!” He shouted as he jammed a knee into the bandit’s stomach.

Will immediately went for his pistol and aimed at the bandit, ending the fight quickly with a shot to the head. The large man backed off into a standing position, narrowly avoiding the spray of blood. Will trained the gun onto him now and used the wall to help him stand, even with his wounded leg. The blond raised up his arms behind his head and… smiled.

Will frowned. “Who are you? How many of you are out there right now? What are you here for? Answer me quick or I’ll shoot.” He growled between gritted teeth.

The man didn’t answer for a while, seemingly taking in the state of Will with an analytical eye. “I’m called Kirin. There’s a few of us, just a group of survivors like yourself, around three including myself. We saw these bandits raising hell and I had thought: “Well, that’s not good. I should deal with these myself”.” The man smiled. “And I did.”

He stepped closer. Will raised the gun higher. “Keep away!” He shouted.

Kirin didn’t flinch, he eyed Will’s leg and tutted. “Well now, that looks like it would cause you some trouble.” He lowered his hands slowly. “May I? I promise I won’t bring you any harm. My group, we have first aid. I promise, we can help you if you like.”

Will stared long and hard at this man, this Kirin, before finally collapsing onto the floor again with a grunt. “Fine, fine. Just… give me some bandages and I’ll be on my way.” He grumbled.

Kirin shook his head. “Now then, that just won’t do.” He knelt down beside Will and carefully untucked his pants from his boot, rolling it up to the knee.

Will jumped and kicked at Kirin with his good leg. “H-Hey! Hey hey! What do you think you’re doing?” He yelled indignantly. Kirin caught the kicking leg with a strong grip and Will was immediately reminded that this man was bigger and could easily overtake Will, even if his leg wasn’t shot. Kirin looked down at Will with a hard look in his blue eyes but still that smile on his face. Will frowned and lowered his leg.

“Now… you know my name. Tell me yours.” Kirin said as he checked around the bullet wound.

“…. Strife. Call me Strife.” Will stared hard at the wound. It wasn’t the worst he’s ever gotten but he was low on supplies, even before the bandit attack.

Kirin raised an eyebrow incredulously. “Strife, hm? Quite a name you’ve got for yourself.” He chuckled and pulled bandages out from a pocket in his pants.

Will rolled his eyes. “It’s my actual name, don’t make fun of it Kirin.” He mocked as he jabbed with his foot slightly at Kirin. Kirin did nothing but chuckle.

“Well, don’t make fun of me either, Strife. Kirin is also my actual name.” He carefully wrapped bandages around Will’s calve, not too tight and not too loose. He obviously had practice but considering times as they were now, it was no surprise. One gains a certain amount of first aid knowledge when in the post-apocalypse.

Kirin stood up and offered a hand to Will. Will begrudgingly took it and hoisted himself up. He took the time to really eye this Kirin up and down. Kirin was a fair bit taller than him, almost monstrously so, and looked as though he wrestled bears for a living. Blond, unkept hair and chops of all things. Will resisted outwardly scowling. Figures that the apocalypse didn’t save the world from bad choices in facial hair.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Strife.” Kirin ruffled Will’s own blond, cropped hair like one would do to a little brother. Will was mortified. “Yeah, yeah, right. Same to you, Kirin.” He grumbled.

Kirin smiled, it was warm, open. Overly friendly. One doesn’t run into smiles like that often in the wastelands. Will looked down and kept down the blush that crept onto his cheeks. He heard Kirin chuckle, deep like a rolling thundercloud.

“I hope we meet again. I would invite you to join us but… well, you seem to have things figured out here.” Kirin looked around at the now ruined remains of a shelter Will had taken up.

Will huffed. “I’ll be just fine. Thank you for the bandages, though. Do you need anything or…?” He offered, almost regretting doing so in the process.

Kirin smiled, a little too friendly again. “Oh, I think we’re fine.” Kirin leaned down and kissed Will’s forehead. “Take care now, Strife.” He chuckled as he stepped over bandit corpses. Will stood stupefied for a minute, his train of thought dead in it’s tracks.

The sound of a jeep starting up woke him up from his daze and he ran towards where he kept his supplies. Hidden among the debris was his backpack which held everything he ever needed before the bandit attack. It was still there. Will breathed a sigh of relief and opened it.

All of his equipment was gone. Except for maybe two days rations of food, a few bottles of water, a couple bandages, and a map with a note. Will grabbed the map with shaking hands, anger boiling deep in his veins.

Someone had circled a location just due north and the note read: “Come and find us, if you like. Thank you for the supplies, we definitely needed some of that. Kirin.”

Will was so beside himself, he laughed, laughed a little too high and loud. He pulled on the backpack, pulling on his sunglasses with the map clenched in his fist. Looks like he found a destination in this wasteland, after all.


	2. never knowing where we're gonna end up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Strife's trek to god knows where. He discovers some things about the post-apocalypse and about the people who reside in it...

Will partly wondered why Kirin made him take the three day trek towards—what he assumes to be at least—his base. It was obvious they had a vehicle or some kind, a jeep it sounded like, and Kirin obviously wanted to see Will again. So why did he have to walk?

Will frowned at the broken down cars on the road, knowing that they were either stripped for their resources or broken beyond repair. If he had the means he could surely have fixed himself a vehicle, alas, every car hood he lifted was nothing but disappointment. He slammed the hood of one vehicle down and kicked the flat tires for good measure. That was one comfort he missed from the days before the Disaster, he could’ve just bought a car if he needed one.

Will smiled to himself, thinking about all those people who thought a CEO of a major corporation couldn’t possibly survive with his own hands and wits. He built himself up from dirt and he will do it again in this wasteland. Still, he thought about how he didn’t appreciate his own bed enough as he huddled in the back of a ruined SUV to shield himself from the cold the night brought.

Eventually, he stumbled upon what looked to be a small town, one of those small towns that weren’t on maps but were definitely there. Only a few buildings were set up and there was obviously some human traffic with a few working vehicles. Will checked the map again and sure enough, he was where he needed to be.

His stomach rumbled unhappily at him. He stared down at the small town and frowned, wondering what exactly he’d have to do for some food. Carefully, he treaded down through the entrance. It was obviously some kind of trading post where respectable, non-bandits came down to fetch some things. Will could appreciate good business tactics such as this and idly wondered how he could get a part in this.

“Well, if it isn’t Strife.”

Will jumped and turned around. Sitting on the open back of a jeep was Kirin, happily drinking a bottle of water. The jeep was filled with junk and other such things: unmarked barrels, crates full of weapons and machinery. A slender figure was sitting near the back in the shade of the vehicle, long blond hair well groomed and sleek, odd for the post apocalypse. A woman sat beside Kirin with familiarity, short and stout with dark hair.

Will frowned. “Kirin… Why did you tell me to come here?” He asked.

Kirin chuckled. “Tell you to come here? I merely suggested it, Strife. You came here of your own free will. Speaking of which…” He dug through a bag and pulled out a can, obviously food, and offered it to Will with a smile. “You look hungry.”

Will’s stomach rumbled at the mere thought of food. Will pressed a hand down on his stomach in hopes to quell the sound as he squinted at Kirin. “The trip over here on foot took three days. Three days and you gave me only two days worth of food.” He said with a stern stare at Kirin.

The woman beside Kirin rolled her eyes. “Kirin you left him only two days worth of food? Really?” She said while jabbing the man in the ribs with a finger.

Kirin yelped and flapped a hand at the woman. “Su, please. I thought it would be enough!” The woman, Su, huffed. Obviously unhappy with the answer.

Will looked between the woman and Kirin, before settling his gaze on Kirin and crossing his arms. Kirin shrugged. “I apologize. Here, we have plenty now and you’re free to help yourself to what you like. You can even stay with us, I know you must also be tired…”

Will continued to glare at Kirin. “How am I to trust you after you stole everything I had?” He grumbled.

Kirin smiled, all warmth and mirth. “Trust me because I could have easily left you to die.”

The way he said that with such a kind smile made Will uneasy. Kirin was still holding out the can of food and Will swiped it out of his hand, a little rougher than he should have. He cracked it open with a knife and quickly emptied the contents into his mouth. Beans. Sweet baked beans.

“Ah, you could’ve asked for a spoon or something, Strife. We have them.” Kirin jumped down from the jeep and carefully wiped a calloused thumb across Will’s lips once he finished eating.

Will froze in place at the touch, flicking eyes up to the sleepy blue eyes of the man before him then over to the woman on the jeep who was watching with a smile then back to Kirin. Before he could react again Kirin pulled away, licking the remnants of food off his thumb.

Will frowned again, willing away the blush on his cheeks. “I was hungry. I wasn’t quite thinking.” He handed the empty can back to Kirin. “Besides, I’ve gotten used to eating without utensils.”

Kirin laughed and chucked the empty can at the person sitting far in the depth of the jeep, who yelled indignantly at the can being thrown at them.

“Well, I can’t blame you. You still look like you could use something to eat and a place to sleep. There’s a resting stop here, with beds.” He motioned toward a long, barracks styled building. “When was the last time you slept in a bed, Strife?” Kirin said with that smile again.

Will was suddenly all too aware of how sore his back was from sleeping on uneven surfaces and curled in strange positions. “Too long…” He sighed.

Kirin pressed a large hand at the small of Will’s back and led him forward. “Well then, allow me to show you around, Strife.” Kirin looked back and waved at the two in the jeep.

Will immediately jumped and arched away from the hand. “Y-Yeah. Thanks… What is this place anyway? Some kind of trading post?” Will questioned, looking around his surroundings.

“Hmm, something like that.” Kirin stroked his chin as if in deep thought. “A rest stop, a trading post, mostly a place where people can get what they want.”

Will hummed in acknowledgement, eyeing the several booths that people had set up. “And those two who were with you? Who are they?”

“Ah, well you saw Su. She’s been with me since the beginning. The surly one in the back, well, we call them Lying. They haven’t told us their real name yet.” There was a smirk on Kirin’s face. Will raised an eyebrow.

“How could you trust someone named “Lying”?” He asked, genuinely completely baffled.

Kirin shrugged. “I just do. They haven’t crossed me yet. I doubt they’d dare to considering my awesome power.” Kirin flexed for show, rugged sleeves of his shirt stretching over muscle. Will forced himself to look away. He wasn’t wimpy or thin by any means, he cut quite the figure in fact. Broad shoulders, fit arms, strong legs, he was just fine. Kirin however, well, he looked as though he wrestled bears for a living.

“Yes, yes. Quite a show of power, we are all very impressed.” Will muttered dryly.

Kirin smiled and ruffled Will’s hair just like he did back at Will’s shelter. “I’m sure you are, Strife.” His hand was back on Will’s back, pushing him into the rest stop. “Here we are! Plenty of beds. We’ve been staying here for a few days accumulating supplies and trading. We’re thinking of leaving tomorrow, if you’d like to join us?” He looked down at Will, blue eyes glittering with mirth and that friendly smile present.

Will huffed and mulled it over with a tilt of his head. “Well… I’ve been doing just fine by myself and—”

“Then why did you come here? To me?” Kirin interrupted, voice suddenly stern.

Will looked up at Kirin and his face was serious, stone-like. He bit his lip and looked anywhere other than Kirin. “Well, I-I had questions and you had answers. You easily could have left me for dead and yet you didn’t. If you wanted me to join you, you could have just picked me up right then and there.” Will turned his gazed back up to Kirin, looking him in the eye with a stern frown. “What kind of game are you playing?” He growled through teeth.

Kirin stared down at Will, face still stern and solid like stone. Then, that smile was there again and a large hand was brought up to Will’s jaw. His thumb brushed over his adam’s apple, making Will swallow thickly against the calloused thumb.

“H-Hey hey…” Will leaned back, away from the hand. Kirin just pressed in closer, stepping into his space and towering over him, pressing him into a corner. Will squared off his shoulders, refusing to even look small compared to this man. His hand was back, gently caressing the curve of his jaw down to the neck. Large palm cradled the back of his head and Kirin bent down to press a kiss to the corner of Will’s mouth. A tease.

Will jumped back and found his back against the wall. Kirin smiled and stepped back.

“Game? Well, there’s no game here, Strife. I guess I wanted to test you.” He said calmly.

Will looked Kirin up and down, stepping away from the wall. “Is… Is this some kind of test too?” He grumbled, wiping away at the corner where Kirin kissed.

Kirin rumbled a laugh, rolling deep like thunder. “Oh, it’s whatever you want it to be, Strife. But please, don’t think too hard. Your head might burst.” He laughed again, walking away and out the door, leaving Will to his thoughts.

Will stared after Kirin, frown set deep in his face. His brain mulled over everything that had just happened but eventually he just sighed and claimed a random bed, falling onto it like dead weight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so, if you want some more just comment cause this work isn't my main priority at the moment but it's a fun thing to do on the side I guess if people want it enough haha.


End file.
